3 days ago
A heartfelt tribute to the German artist who called Malaysia home
Many artists from abroad have found a home in Malaysia, but the late Askandar Unglehrt (1943–2022) made it his own by embracing its culture with heart and curiosity.
He once summed up his creative vision with disarming clarity: 'I observe the East with one eye and the West with the other. A 'Third Eye', which is my creative eye, combines the fragments of my observations into experiences of their own.'
His philosophy shaped his art – bridging cultures, reframing traditions and weaving them into something entirely his own, laced with mischievous wit.
The late Unglehrt's tribute show at Harta Space offers a survey of his collage works and archival material. Photo: The Star/Filepic
The German-born artist and academic, who made Penang his home for more than 50 years, brought a distinctive voice to Malaysia's art scene.
Before arriving on these shores, he studied at the Sorbonne in Paris in the late 1960s, majoring in French and German, and wrote his PhD dissertation on the poetry of Jean Arp, the German-French sculptor, painter and poet.
Unglehrt began teaching both French and German at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang in 1972.
Adela, co-curator of the exhibition, shares insights into her father's art practice and his unique East-West perspective. Photo: The Star/M. Irsyad
Alongside his academic work, he developed a highly recognisable collage practice, fusing Western art styles with locally sourced materials such as magazines, newspaper clippings and advertisements.
In the spirit of Merdeka month, the public can now revisit his legacy through A Third Eye: A Tribute To Askandar Unglehrt, on view at Harta Space in Ampang, Selangor, until Aug 31.
His work was last officially showcased in the Klang Valley in 2017, in the solo exhibition Walau Bagaimanapun at Suma Orientalist.
Lovingly assembled
This tribute at Harta Space – featuring works Unglehrt created between 1973 and 2003 – is co-curated by his daughter Adela, who has overseen the care and preservation of his artworks.
The show's other curator is Ricardo Chavez Tovar, a Penang-based artist and academic from Mexico.
Unglehrt's 'Malaysia / World The Great Rehearsal' (1990) captures the artist's local culture fascination in a collage work. Photo: Harta Space
Unglehrt's works have been showcased at the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur and are held in the collections of the Penang State Art Gallery, Singapore Art Museum, Galeri Petronas and other notable institutions.
A Third Eye features 62 works, ranging from acrylic on canvas and prints to magazine pieces and collages on anonymous paintings.
'While many would know him as an artist in Penang, he was more known as an art collector in the Klang Valley. The exhibition will take visitors through a timeline of his artistic journey and what influences he had over the years. Some were taken from private collections, and some of them, I've rediscovered this year, buried in storage,' says Adela in a recent interview.
She recalls unearthing unexpected treasures while preparing the show.
Tovar (right) and curator Unglehrt examine one of Tovar's works in Penang, 2006. At Harta Space, Tovar co-curated the German-born artist's tribute show. Photo: The Star/Filepic
'I knew they existed, as his main technique was manual collage, and he would re- photograph the finished pieces. We found film strips and other records that give an insight into his process, showing what he was referencing at the time,' she explains.
Over the years, Malaysian influences and pop culture references began to weave into his compositions in the 1980s.
'This was in an era where Star Wars was a craze, and he used popular symbols like Superman, Charlie Chaplin, Yoda and others. He would also buy old windows from flea markets, using them as a canvas.
'Sometimes he painted over anonymous works he found there, giving them a completely new context,' she says.
Sambal on the side
Visitors will see these ideas most clearly in his 'Malaysiana' series.
One standout, Mona Malaysia (1989), reimagines the iconic Mona Lisa with a distinctly Malaysian twist – her serene face framed by a Muslim headdress.
Unglehrt's work titled 'Consulting Yoda' (1983-1984). Photo: Harta Space
'This also reflects the rise of Muslim women in (local) universities at the time. He often responded to social shifts he observed around him. Nowadays there are digital methods of collaging, but his work was painstakingly done by hand,' says Adela.
Unglehrt's personal life also shaped his art.
Starting a family in the early 1970s in Penang with his wife, Tengku Idaura Tengku Ibrahim, who has Kelantanese roots, meant Unglehrt spent extended periods on the East Coast, immersing himself in its landscapes and traditions.
'He explored the scenery, the everyday commentaries on Malaysian life, and even popular TV shows that began to run at the time,' says Adela.
Unglehrt's 'The Short Cut' (1995) is a collage on a painting featuring Fantastic Four's The Thing riding a motorcycle through a kampung. Photo: Harta Space
Works such as The Great Malaysian Sunset (1989) playfully place Darth Vader in a film strip sequence of a tranquil beach in Bachok, Kelantan, while The Short Cut (1995) sends the Fantastic Four's The Thing roaring down a kampung road on a motorcycle.
Together, these pieces capture Unglehrt's knack for blending pop culture with the Malaysian landscape, creating images that are at once humorous and thought-provoking.
'This exhibition serves as a precursor to a more comprehensive retrospective planned for 2026–2027, which will examine his legacy and continued relevance in Malaysian contemporary art.
"We also wish to bring a larger collection to Penang where he spent most of his time in Malaysia,' concludes Adela.
A Third Eye: A Tribute To Askandar Unglehrt is showing at Harta Space in Ampang, Selangor until Aug 31. Free admission. Closed on Mondays.
